topic Re: Spaghetti Question in Kitchen

Spaghetti Question

Sapphiregal — Thu, 27 May 2021 21:48:10 GMT

Every time I make spaghetti, as soon as I pour the sauce over the pasta, I get a plate full of water. I know it has something to do with the starch in the pasta, but, I don't know the secret to fixing it. Any suggestions?

Re: Spaghetti Question

mary0129 — Thu, 27 May 2021 21:54:11 GMT

my guess is you need to let the pasta sit in the colander longer to get more water out. Shake it around.

Re: Spaghetti Question

PinkyPetunia — Thu, 27 May 2021 22:16:01 GMT

It would seem you don't drain your pasta well enough.

Re: Spaghetti Question

Mom2Dogs — Thu, 27 May 2021 22:44:47 GMT

@Sapphiregal When I make spaghetti, after I drain it, I put it back in the original pot on the stove..there is still a little heat in the pan and the burner is still warm....that helps take the excess moisture off the pasta.

I made spaghetti tonight, no soupy plate.

Re: Spaghetti Question

aroc3435 — Thu, 27 May 2021 23:30:09 GMT

@Sapphiregal I take a stainless steel mixing bowl and put in my kitchen sink and drain the cooked spaghetti in a colander so that I keep some of the starchy cooking water and put a little of that in my sauce.

I put the colander with the pasta after shaking it thoroughly back over the pot. Sitting briefly on the burner with the retained heat should steam off any excess water.

Watch how Lydia Bastianich or another Italian cook, like Nick Stellino, handles pasta. Tons of free videos out there on the net.

Hope these ideas help.

aroc3435

Washington, DC

Re: Spaghetti Question

Foxxee — Fri, 28 May 2021 01:42:57 GMT

How thin is your spaghetti sauce? I simmer until it's very thick. Sauces from jars have always been too thin for me, so I simmer until thick, as well.

I boil my spaghetti noodles al dente. Mine are a bit more firm. Drain well. Stir the noodles in the drainer to rid them of excess water. Let sit a few minutes.

Re: Spaghetti Question

Sweetbay magnolia — Thu, 27 May 2021 23:43:25 GMT

My advice? Cook the sauce for hours in a slow cooker. I just made a nice red sauce. 6 hours on low with the lid, a few hours after on high without the lid, and then the lid back on. I think it cooked for 12 hours and it was luscious. I hate that wateriness!

Re: Spaghetti Question

jlkz — Fri, 28 May 2021 00:58:53 GMT

On Monday I made a huge batch of marinara sauce: used 450 ounces of Cento San Marzano plum tomatoes, 24 ounces of Cento tomato paste and seasonings. From start to finish: 2.5 hours. Cooled it overnite and ziploc bagged it next AM.

The sauce cooked down considerably during that time.

When I started the bagging next morning, the long handled wooden spoon stood straight up by itself in the middle of the pot: no watery pasta when that sauce was spread over it.

Have been doing it this way for many years to great compliments on the " depth of flavor ". Yes, 2.5 hours !

Re: Spaghetti Question

Sapphiregal — Fri, 28 May 2021 01:10:26 GMT

Thanks for your replies. The problem is not due to not draining all the water off. I googled it and it seems like some of you have mentioned. The sauce needs to simmer for quite awhile and really thicken. One suggestion was to add cornstarch to thicken. So, given that I did not have time for my sauce to simmer forever, I went with the cornstarch idea. Worked great! No spaghetti floating in water on my plate!! Next time I will start early to allow a long simmer.

Re: Spaghetti Question

Sooner — Fri, 28 May 2021 01:20:58 GMT

I also think some brands of pasta are harder and slicker than others, and do not absorb liquid so the sauce slides off and breaks.

I am not sure which ones, but occasionally notice it.

Re: Spaghetti Question

depglass — Fri, 28 May 2021 14:30:32 GMT

DH is always complaining the sauce isn't sticking to the spaghetti, so next time I will really let it thicken. If that fails, move to plan B, the cornstarch.

Re: Spaghetti Question

dancingwoman — Fri, 28 May 2021 16:34:44 GMT

@depglass You can also try mixing in some grated parm or grated Asiago cheese to the pasta before you add the sauce. It will help it stick to the it. DW

Re: Spaghetti Question

Harpa — Sat, 29 May 2021 12:48:02 GMT

Are you using a jar sauce?

When making the sauce, tip the lid so that the liquid evaporates and the sauce thickens. Cook on low & don't have to stir that often. We also put in raw meat (no browning first, as the meat is more tender the other way) and let that simmer away - usually about 3 hours.

We use 1 can of puree, a bit of water to rinse the can, and a bit of red wine.

If you're using a jar sauce, I don't think you have to cook that long. It's already cooked. You're not rinsing the pasta, are you?

(We don't have to tip the lid, because the sauce thickens.)

I don't think I could ever add cornstarch, but I guess it's a solution.